Thursday, June 27, 2013

Thursday Morning Links

This and that for your Thursday reading.

- The Canadian Labour Congress calls out Jim Flaherty for stalling on his promise to work on boosting the Canada Pension Plan. Meanwhile, in attempting to keep profits flowing to the financial sector, several Fraser Institute drones find that increased CPP contributions...substantially increase the total amount saved for retirement by the middle class notwithstanding any substitutional effects. (Which leaves them stammering "ummm...choice!" "er....markets!" "aaah....FREEDOM!" in a desperate attempt to pretend workers are somehow better off with less of a secure public pension.)

- Alison is compiling a list of Harper Con fakery. I only worry that it'll take until past the 2015 election to assemble all of the examples known to date.

- Health Care Transformation offers an infographic on what makes Canadians sick - highlighting the importance of social determinants of health:

- And CBC reports on Saskatchewan's appalling performance on one indicator, with a rate of family violence over twice the Canadian average.

- But then, as Murray Mandryk notes, the Wall government is predictably selective in the issues it chooses to address and the speed with which it addresses them:

So what does it tell us when a government ignores "serious problems" with the
freedom of information and privacy law the FOIP commissioner has advocated
changing for a decade while bulldozing ahead with any manner of labour law
changes - including its omnibus labour bill that will now house the old
essential services act - without really much fear of repercussions?

Well, it would seem to suggest this government's view of due diligence is
being dictated by its political agenda and its need to marginalize even valid
criticism.

Simply ignoring criticism is never a great way to govern. It eventually
catches up with you.

And so while Erin Weir's work in providing accurate employment trend numbers was met with an immediate backlash, we can expect little to be done to help people actually in need of public support.